FBI Reveals Foiled Assassination Plots Against Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

The FBI has disclosed details of foiled assassination attempts against Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Threats involving explosives and firearms were neutralized in Dallas, Atlanta, and Houston. Additionally, over six thousand threats were reported against referee François Letexier.

The US FBI has revealed details of a series of foiled assassination attempts against key figures of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Law enforcement managed to neutralize threats involving improvised explosive devices and firearms. In Dallas, ahead of the Argentina–Jordan match, an anonymous call reported a group with AR-15 rifles and bombs, with Lionel Messi named as the primary target. In Atlanta, during Argentina's game against Egypt, a threat appeared on social media platform X to bring four explosive devices into the stadium to kill Messi; a tip about bombs in trash containers was also received, but a catastrophe was averted. In Houston, a suspect preparing an attack on Cristiano Ronaldo was arrested at the hotel of the Portuguese national team. Additionally, French referee François Letexier received over six thousand direct threats of violence via WhatsApp. The coordinated work of American law enforcement ensured full control over the safety of participants and spectators of the World Cup.